This post was made in collaboration with For The Chef. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Well and Full!
Do any of you watch Iron Chef America (otherwise known as the greatest show ever created)? If you’re a loyal watcher like me, you’ll know that in every episode, there is at least one component of one dish simmering / sautéing / roasting in a dutch oven. And I always wondered why they used a dutch oven instead of just a regular pot. But then I learned that dutch ovens cook food much more evenly than thin-bottomed pots and pans, and have the added feature of being oven-friendly.
I’m convinced that professional chefs have this sort of sixth sense when decided whether to cook with a dutch oven or a regular pot, and I certainly won’t pretend I have it. But when I was cooking with this dutch oven, it made me think of the history behind such a vessel. The American Colonists cooked with original cast-iron dutch ovens in their own kitchens, adopted from the practices of the Dutch. This is truly how people used to cook! To me, it’s amazing that this tradition has carried on for so long, despite our modern advances in Teflon and non-stick pots. It’s really a beautiful thing, and why I love culinary history so much.
Now, getting into logistics here – we can probably all agree that dutch ovens are awesome, but they can range up to $300 for a name-brand option. So when For The Chef told me about their dutch oven they sell for 45.99, I was admittedly skeptical at first. But when it came in the mail, I was first surprised at how heavy it was – 100% cast iron, covered in a layer of porcelain enamel. This dutch oven is the real deal! I also loved how the stunning blue color added a pop of vibrancy to my kitchen. The dutch oven comes in red too, but blue will always be my favorite. (And to be clear, For The Chef is not paying me to say any of this – they sent me the dutch oven to review, but I’m genuinely this excited about their awesome product!)
So if you’re looking for a high quality, professional chef grade dutch oven, look no further. For The Chef’s dutch oven is perfect for soups, stews, roasts, even breads! You can check out the blue version here (which is what I have), and the red version here. Happy cooking!
Moroccan Lentil Stew
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion diced
- Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 15 oz Can Fire-Roasted Tomatoes diced
- 1 1/2 Cups Cooked Chickpeas
- 1 Cup Red Lentils
- Juice 1/2 Lemon
- 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 Tsp Coriander
- 1/4 Tsp Allspice
- 1/8 Tsp Cayenne
- Pinch Cinnamon
Instructions
- Bring a dutch oven or large pot to medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add in the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until softened slightly.
- Then, add in the minced garlic and cook for another minute or until fragrant.
- Add in the contents of one can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes and cook for another minute or so.
- Then, add in the cooked chickpeas, red lentils, lemon juice, vegetable stock, and spices and simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are fully cooked.
- When done, serve in bowls with fresh cracked black pepper.
- Enjoy!
P.S.
Thank you everyone for your kind comments and well-wishes on my last post. You all are AWESOME!! :)
P.P.S.
If you make this recipe and post it on Instagram, be sure to tag me @wellandfull and #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your takes on my recipes :)
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